Tuesday, April 21, 2009

I awoke to the soft whirring of the ducted heating, beginning its first shift to warm the house. I touch my icy nose, a reminder that it is no longer summer.

It is not long before I hear the soft padded feet prancing towards my room to wake me for breakfast. Greeted by wet kisses and doggie breath I turn to my partner, still clinging to the last few minutes of sleep as I wrap myself in clothing to serve up breakfast for bipeds and quadrupeds alike.

Stepping outside onto dew covered wood I wade through morning mist to scatter seeds into bird feeders and to unlock the squeaky gate to allow Yoshi entry to our dampened garden. The mornings are always cold, and most often wet. Socks, knits and sometimes scarves are needed, however, the afternoon heralds the next Act. Sunshine evaporates all droplets of water and bestows a gentle heat upon my head. I find myself shedding layers like a rose drops its petals. It is during these bright afternoons that I like to do my baking most.

Gazing at the leaves burning red and pale ochre leads me to think of perhaps Autumn's signature fruit, the apple. Without knowing I have planned two dishes for this week that both seem to include gingerbread spices, it could be that Autumn subconsciously causes me to crave ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg.

ease: 4/5. A little time consuming.prep time: 30mins. I included making both the cake batter and butterscotch sauce.cooking time: 1hour.total: 1hour & 30mins.

taste: 2.5/5. This was overwhelmingly sweet for me, my mouth was filled with blood-sugar spiking butterscotch sauce and brown sugar. Unfortunately the apple was not only sunken (if anyone knows why the apples didn't remain clearly visible as the original recipe shows, please let me know) but it was lost in a sea of sugar. Everyone had around three tablespoons followed by glasses of water, such a shame.